Game board apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention is a game board apparatus including a large game board member; a plurality of stacks of information card means; a plurality of stacks of profit card means; play or simulated money means; a plurality of player token members; and a die member usable to indicate and achieve movement of the player token members on the game board member. More particularly, this invention is a game board apparatus having a game board member with indicia thereon indicating a plurality of colored hashmarked paths to be taken to various cities in the United States whereby the information card means sets forth various alternative actions to be taken by the individual players in movement of the player token members along the respective paths and such movement is permitted on throwing of the die member. The game board has a plurality of concentric zones thereon into which the colored hash-marked paths extend, the zones determining the relative value of deals, related to the profit card means.

United States Patent Richard C. lledden 1101 N. Roosevelt, Wichita,Knits. 67208 737,600

June 17, 1968 Aug. 24, 1971 [72] Inventor [21] AppLNo.

122] Filed [45] Patented [54] GAME BOARD APPARATUS 3,362,715 1/1968l-lartpence r. 273/134 Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney-John H.Widdowson ABSTRACT: This invention is a game board apparatus including alarge game board member; a plurality of stacks of information cardmeans; a plurality of stacks of profit card means; play or simulatedmoney means; a plurality of player token members; and a die memberusable to indicate and achieve movement of the player token members onthe game board member. More particularly, this invention is a game boardapparatus having a game board member with indicia thereon indicating aplurality of colored hash-marked paths to be taken to various cities inthe United States whereby the information card means sets forth variousalternative actions to be taken by the individual players in movement ofthe player token members along the respective paths and such movement ispermitted on throwing of the die member The game board has a pluralityof concentric zones thereon into which the colored hash-marked pathsextend, the zones determining the relative value of deals, related tothe profit card means PATENTEI] M62419?! 3.601.405

SHiET 2 0F 3 PROFIT I $7, 00 I x 52 52 PROFIT PROFIT a $53, OO 54 58PROFIT (62 CASPER FLIGHT CARD ATLA TA PM w AsHINOTO- FLIGHT CARD 66 jwcI-IITA INVENTOR.

RICHARD C. HEDUEN L4%mm AT TORI! PATENTEU AUGZMBY; 3,601,405

SHEET 3 0F 3 CONTRACT 6. LOUIS\{I LE ,6.

CONTRACT DETR})|T a. F/ G 4 CASH LOSS L0E $52,000 69 TI 63 P Ammo: tonzscrrv EXCEPT 'rnose comnncrso av ,auoruzn PLAYER s5 ADVANC TO I ANYCITY 22 INVENTOR. 76 W 6 RICHARD c. usooen 9 BY 3 73 F 7 \H 15 7ATTORNEY GAME BOARD APPARATUS Numerous types of game board apparatus areknown to the prior art operable to permit movement of game pieces incertain directions on a game board. One of these prior art gameapparatus is a popular one entitled "Monopoly" disclosed in U. S. Pat.No. 2,026,082, issued Dec. 31, I935, but this game apparatus and othersuch similar devices do not have the many bidding and profit makingfeatures of the game board apparatus of this invention.

An object of this invention is to provide a game board apparatus havingrules and method of play that is stimulating, requires considerableplanning and intelligence to achieve the required monetary value ofsimulated money to become the winner, and includes various alternativemeans of play so that intelligence and competition are involved.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game board apparatushaving a game board member having an outline indicia of the UnitedStates, a plurality of city indicating indicia thereon, and pathsinterconnecting the various cities called city-line indicia so as toprovide means of learning locations of the various cities in the UnitedStates, the apparatus therefore being an educational device.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a game boardapparatus having stacks of information card means and profit card meansusing a procedure of player token member movement on a game board memberand operable through competitive bidding with numerous alternativemovements so as to make the game board apparatus educational andinteresting to play, whereby skill is required to become the ultimatewinner.

One further object of this invention is to provide a game boardapparatus that is interesting to use, economical to manufacture, andprovided with alternate methods of play depending upon the time allottedfor completion of play.

Various other objects, advantages, and features of the in vention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdiscussion, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. I is a top plan view of the game board apparatus of this inventionillustrating the same in the open or play condition and having thevarious play elements spaced thereon;

FIGS. 2-6, inclusive, are top plan views illustrating numerous cardmeans used in the game board apparatus of this invention and showingboth sides thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a die member and a player token memberof the game board apparatus of this invention.

The following is a discussion and description of preferred specificembodiments ofthe new game board apparatus of this invention, such beingmade with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numeralsare used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structures. It isto be understood that such discussion and description are not to undulylimit the scope ofthc invention,

Referring to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIG. I. a gameboard apparatus of this invention, indicated generally at 12, includes alarge rectangular game board member 14; information card means 16; aprofit card means 18; stacks of play or simulated money means 20; aplurality of player token members 22; and a cubical die member 24.

The game board member 14 is of a large rectangular shape preferablyconstructed with a main body section 26 having opposite parallel side orend sections 28 integrally connected as through hinges. The end sections28 are movable from closed positions adjacent and over the main bodysection 26 outwardly into a common plane therewith as shown in FIG. Iwhen the same is in the play condition. The foldable end sections 28preferably are provided for compact storage of the entire game boardapparatus 12 in a container box (not shown) when in the nonusagecondition. The play side of the game board member 14 is provided with anoutline indicia 32 indicative of the United States of America and havinga plurality of city indicia 34 placed in the proper respective locationson the outline of the United States. A plurality of cityline indicia 36are provided to interconnect various ones of the adjacent city indicia34. The city-line indicia 36 are also used as movement paths for playertravel therealong with the player token members 22 as will be explained.In this instance the city indicia 34 ofKansas City" is designated as thestarting point" and having a plurality of the interconnected citylineindicia 36 projecting therefrom for movement toward various selectedareas on the game board member. Additionally, the city indicia 34 KansasCity is the central point for the describing of circle indicia 37 ofvarious radii in order to divide the area enclosed by the outlineindicia 32 of the United States into various Zones" as indicated by thenumerical indicia 39 indicating the zones from a central circular ZoneI" including Kansas City outwardly through annular bands to providevarious areas which are important in the method and rules of this gameapparatus 12 as will be explained. It is also noted that informationindicia 41 is provided in the upper left hand portion of the game boardmember 14 having a column headed by the word Area" indicative of thevarious zones 1, 2, 3, and 4 of play. Additionally, a column entitled"Value" indicates the various values of contracts within the respectiveZones" and such will be explained in detail. Respectively they indicate$1,000$l0,000; $1 l,000$30,000; $3 I DOD-$60,000; and LOGO-$100,000. Thepaths or interconnected city-line indicia 36 are each provided with aplurality of transversely extended indicia indicative of variouspositions or steps of movements therealong. For example, there isprovided green hash mark indicia 42; black hash mark indicia 44;question mark indicia 46; red hash mark indicia 47; and blue hash markindicia 48, each indicating steps or movements along the paths as willbe explained.

As shown in FIG. 2, the profit card means 18 includes four separatestacks of card members known as zone I, 2, 3, and 4 profit cards 52, 53,54, and 56, respectively. The zone 1 profit cards 52 are provided withindicia on one side thereof to indicate the title and the opposite sideis provided with a numerical cash indicia 58 having a value of one toten thousand dollars for reasons to be explained. The zone 2 profitcards 53 are similarly provided with the cash indicia 58 having valuesranging from eleven thousand to thirty thousand dollars. The zone 3profit cards 54 have the cash indicia 58 thereon from thirtyone thousanddollars to sixty thousand dollars. Finally, the zone 4 profit cards 56are provided with the cash indicia 58 ranging from sixty-one thousanddollars to one hundred thousand dollars. Each of the stacks of theprofit cards 52, S3, 54, and 56 are normally placed with the cashindicia 58 in the downward condition and each card is placed in itsrespective stack and such card is turned over and drawn as provided bythe rules of play of this game board apparatus 12 as will be explained.

As shown in FIGS. 36, inclusive, the information card means 16 includesindividual stacks of green contract card members 61, blue flight cardmembers 62, red cash loss card members 63, and question mark cardmembers 65. As shown in FIG. 3, the flight card members 62 are ofagenerally rectangular shape having the indicia FLIGHT CARD" on one sidewith the other side having city selection indicia 66 setting forth alisting of two cities to be found on the game board member 14. Theflight card members 62 are all placed in a common stack and are removedtherefrom according to the rules of play to be described with themovement of the player token members 22 to the cities indicated thereonas will be explained. The contract card members M are provided withtitle indicia thereon indicating CONTRACT and opposite respective sidesthereof having a bid city indicia 68 of a city to be found on the gameboard member 14. Operation of the contract card members 61 is veryimportant and will be explained in detail.

The CASH LOSS" card members 63 are provided with title indicia on oneside and the opposite side has loss indicia 69 being LOSE" with anumerical indicia 71 indicative of monetary value and, as in the othercard members, these are played according to the rules of the game to beexplained. The.

question mark card members 65, as shown in FIG. 6, are placed in acommon stack and are provided with a symbolic indicia of a questionmark" on one side with the other side provided with instruction indicia73 to indicate various steps and method of play. There are variousinstructions printed upon the instruction side of the question cardmembers 65 examples being such as:

1. Advance to any city except those contracted by another player. 2.Advance to any city. 3. Pay $5,000 to Bank and take a Contract Card. 4.Advance six spaces anytime. 5. Move to any city beginning with theletter D. 6. Go to New York City. 7. Move to any city in the number 4zone area. 8. Advance to the next city on your path. 9. Take a FlightCard. l0. Water Route.

Certain of the question mark card members 65 contain instructions to befollowed immediately such as the aforementioned examples 3 and 9. Othersuch card members 65 shall be followed or used in place of a roll of thedie member 24 such as examples I, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and l0.

As shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of the player token members 22 isprovided so that each player in the game has a separate player tokenmember 22 which is similarly constructed but of a different color so asto maintain separate identity. Each player token member 22 is providedwith a plate or base section 75 having a centrally positioned, integral,upright tubular body section 76. The body section 76 extends laterallyfrom the base section 75 so as to be easily grasped for movement on thegame board member 14 as will be explained.

The die member 24 is operable in a substantially conventional manner bytossing the same upon the game board member 14 and reading the valuefrom the upper plane as indicated by the dot indicia 78.

In one embodiment of this invention, the game board apparatus I2 isoperable to play a game preferably known as Millionaire Contractor"which can be played with two to six players and the object of the gameis to be the first player to achieve one million dollars in simulatedmoney means in his possession. The play of Millionaire Contractor"initially starts by each of the players placing their individualrespective token members 22 about the starting point as shown by thecity indicia 34 of Kansas City. The plurality of stacks of cards, beingthe information card means 16 and the profit card means 18, are allindividually shuffled and placed with the instruction indicia face downas clearly shown in FIG. 1. Each player is given a pencil 81 and a paperpad 83 so as to make confidential notations thereon as will beexplained. Each player is then given three hundred thousand dollars tostart the initial play preferably in the denomination to each of threefifty thousand dollar money members 84, four twenty thousand dollarmoney members 85, four ten thousand dollar money members 86, five fivethousand dollar money members 87, and five one thousand dollar moneymembers 88. The remaining simulated money means 20 including one hundredthousand dollar money members 89 goes into what is called a Bank and oneof the players is appointed the Banker" and maintains account of themoney paid to and from the bank. The "Bander" also joins in the game asa regular player.

To initially start the game, one of the contract card members 6! isdrawn and turned face up to indicate a given one of the city indicia 34on the game board member 14. Each player then secretly transcribes onhis paper pad 83 the amount of money he is willing to pay in order toobtain the contract being indicated as a city on the contract cardmember 61. It is noted that each city indicia 34 will be located in oneof the area zones 1, 2, 3, or 4 and each of these area zones have acertain contract value as indicated by the information indicia 4] in theupper left-hand corner of the game board member 14. This provides aguide line for each player bidding for this respective initial contractcard member 61. The respective bids are then revealed and the playerwith the highest bid receives this initial contract card member 61whereupon he pays the "Bank" the cash equivalent amount of his bid andthen draws a profit card member, either 52, 53, S4 or 56 from the stackof profit card means 18 which corresponds to the zone area in which thecontract city indicia 34 is located. This initial starting player thenrolls the die member 24 and moves his player token member 22 accordinglyin a desired direction. The remaining players thereupon roll the diemember 24, in turn, in a clockwise direction.

If, on the bid for the initial contract card member 61, there are two ormore players that have tied for the top bid, these players continue tobid until one has a higher bid value than the other player so thatfinally a top bidder is achieved in order to start the game.

After the initial starting of the Millionaire Contractor game, theplayers proceed as mentioned on throwing of the die member 24 andfurther methods and rules of play are as follows:

I. There is provided a Bonus" for each numbered zone area as follows:

Zone Area Bonus 2 I 30,000 3 $40,000 4 S60 ,(lOO

This Bonus is paid only when (a) a player is the first one to reach acity and (b) the same player holds the contract card member 61 to thatparticular city. 2. If a player holds the contract card member 6] to aparticular city and reaches the same, the Bank then pays to this playera monetary value of the simulated money means 20 as indicated on therespective card of profit card means l8 which was drawn at the same timethe player received the contract card member 61. If this player is alsothe first one to reach that city, he would also receive theabove-mentioned Bonus" for that particular zone area. 3. If a playerreaches a city in which the respective contract card member 61 for thatcity is held by another player, no Bonus" is paid and the amountindicated on the profit card means 18 for that particular city is splitbetween this player and the one holding the contract card member 61. Ifthe numerical indicia 58 on the respective card of the profit card means18 is an odd number, such as $49,000, the extra amount after splittingthe same would go to the first player to reach the respective contractedcity. For example, if the smallest denomination of money is $1,000,$48,000 of the money would be split equally, resulting in an evenamount, with the extra $1,000 going to the player who first reached thecity. 4. The contract card member 61 and the one of the profit cardmeans 18 are returned to the bottom of their respective stacks directlyafter the contracted city is reached by any of the players. 5. On eachthrow of the die member 24, the respective player moves his player tokenmember 22in any direction according to the indicia on the die member 24and then takes the action required depending upon the position in whichplaced due to this movement. 6. A player may move his player tokenmember 22 in any direction along an interconnecting city-line indicia 36or path, except along water paths as eitplained hereinafter, but mustmove the total number of spaces in the same direction. 7. There is nolimit to the number of contract card members 61 which may be in thepossession of the players at any given time. However, there must alwaysbe at least one contract card member 61 in play at one time. If there isno contract card member 61 in possession of any player during the game,a contract card member 61 is drawn and each player bids for the same asin initially starting the game play. 8. The black hash mark indicia 44indicates a safe or neutral position and when a player lands upon thisposition, no action is taken and no card members are drawn. 9. When aplayer lands on a question mark indicia 46, a question mark card member65 is drawn and the instructions on the card are then followed by thisplayer. If the question mark card member 65 indicates a "water route,"the player may retain this card member until he needs to travel the pathbetween either (a) Providence and Charleston or (b) Miami and NewOrleans as this path cannot be taken without first having a water route"card memberv 10. The blue hash mark indicia 48 indicates, when landedupon, that the player must immediately draw a flight card member 62 andimmediately move his token to one of the cities named on the card member62 and return the card to the bottom of the stack. The flight cardmembers 62 are beneficial if the player needs to travel long distancesin order to land upon a contracted city or the like. 1. If a playerlands on a red hash mark indicia 47, he must then draw a cash loss cardmember 63 and immediately pay the Bank the monetary amount stated andreturn the card to the bottom of the respective stack. l2. In order tocapture a contracted city, a player must land directly on the locationof the city indicia 34 with a given roll of the die member 24 remembering that the player token member 22 cannot move and retrace a pathon a single roll of the die member 24. I3, At any time during the game,each player has the right to know the monetary value of the simulatedmoney means that any other player possesses. l4. lfa question mark cardmember 65 indicates that a player is to draw a contract card member 61,the player additionally draws one of the profit card means 18corresponding to the respective zone area and no bidding is madethereon, The player receiving this particular card setting forthpurchase ofa contract card member 61 also rolls the die member 24 againand moves his respective token member 22. [5. The player who firstachieves the combination of simulated money means 20 having a monetaryvalue of one million dollars is declared the winner. l6. The greenhashmark indicia 42 is a contract card drawing position and a contractcard member 61 is drawn when a player lands on same.

The various interconnecting city-line indicia 36 used on the game boardmember 14 have been calculated to provide an interesting and desirablegame with movement of the player token members 22 thereon requiringskill and consideration in order to reach the respective contractedcities plus the Bonus" for first achieving same. The relationship of thevarious green hash mark indicia 42, black hash mark indicia 44, questionmark indicia 46, red hash mark indicia 47, and blue hash mark indicia 48has been calculated in order to provide numerous opportunities forchance movement and/or con tract bidding throughout the game to providea thrilling and interesting means of entertainment.

Another embodiment of the game board apparatus 12 is provided known asElimination" and is substantially similar to the Millionaire Contractorexcept that the same can be played in a smaller amount of time. Theobject of Elimination" is to be the only player remaining that hasenough cash to buy contract card members 61. in setting up the game for"Elimination". the initial procedure is the same as aforementioned l'orMillionaire Contractor.

In order to start Elimination, each player draws a contract card member61 and checks the same to see in which Zone area the city indicated onthe contract card member is located and then each player pays the Bankfor his contract card member 61 according to the following table.

Zone Area Amount The rules of play ofElimination are the same as forMillionaire Contractor" except as follows:

1. After each player draws a contract card member 61, he also draws oneof the profit card means 18 corresponding to the zone area of hiscontracted city as there is no bidding on contracts,

2. Any player who reaches his contracted city as indicated on thecontract card member 61, receives from the Bank the amount stated on thecorresponding one of the profit card means 18 and draws another contractcard member 6] but there is no bonus paid by the Bank.

3. To determine which player starts the game, each player rolls the diemember 24 and the highest number thereon is entitled to first roll ofthe game with the turn for the die member 24 being movable in aclockwise direction.

4. If another player be the first one to land on a contracted city thathe does not own, the player holding the contract card member 61 wouldnot receive any money but would return this contract card member 61 andthe respective one of the profit card means 18 to the bottom of therespective stacks and draw another contract card member 61.

5. Each player must always have at least one contract card member 61 inhis possession at all times.

6. A player may possess more than one contract card member 61 at onetime through drawing a question mark card member 65 which states to payto the "Bank a certain amount of money and draw a contract card member6] and a respective one of the profit card means 18. A player is notrequired to draw another contract card member 61 until such time that hehas none in his possession.

7. The green hash mark indicia 42 is considered a safe or neutralposition like the black hash mark indicia 44 and no contract card member61 is drawn when landing on same.

8. A player is eliminated if he is unable to pay for a given contractcard member 61 and play continues until only one player has not been soeliminated and he is declared the winner.

It is seen that the use of the game board apparatus in the gameofElimination removes some phases of Millionaire Contractor" and istherefore playable in a shorter period of time. All of the rulesof"Elimination except those aforementioned which are in conflicttherewith are the same as those set forth in Millionaire Contractor".

It is seen that the game board apparatus of this invention provides ameans of having an economical and competitive means of contract biddingsetting forth the profits and losses therefrom; requiring considerableskill and movement of the player token members in the proper direction;and taking advantage of certain contract and bonus conditions. The gameboard apparatus invention is interesting to play, economical tomanufacture, and can be played by a plurality of player members in amost enjoyable manner.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with preferredspecific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that thisdescription is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of theinvention, which is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A game board apparatus adapted to be used by a plurality of playermembers, comprising:

a. a game board member having a plurality of line indiciainterconnecting numerous point locations, such setting forth a pluralityof paths to follow, and circle indicia dividing said game board memberinto a plurality of zone areas having different numerals appliedthereto,

b. information card means having instruction indicia on one side thereofpertaining to dealing and title indicia on the other side thereof, saidtitle indicia relating to such dealing.

. simulated money means having stacks of various money members withdifferent value indicia thereon,

d. profit card means having a plurality of stacks of profit card membershaving numerals applied thereto indicating a sum of money, each numeralbeing identical with a numeral applied to one of said zone areas,

e. player token members, one for each player member, and

a die member having numeral indicia indicating distance to move saidplayer token members on said line indicia between said point locations.

. A game board apparatus as described in claim I, wherein: said lineindicia having a plurality of transversely extended indicia meansthereon indicating individual positions of movement therealong,

said game board member having said point locations of city indicia on anoutline indicia of the United States, and

. said city indicia including "Kansas City" being the starting point ofsaid game board apparatus and central pivot point ofsaid circle indicia,

. A game board apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein: said indiciameans including question mark indicia, blue hash mark indicia, and redhash mark indicia, corresponding to respective ones of said informationcard means.

4. A game board apparatus as described in claim 1. wherein:

a, said information card means being a plurality of stacks of cardmembers including question mark card members, green contract cardmembers, blue flight card members. and red cash loss card members, and

b. said line indicia having transversely extended. spaced, question markindicia, red hash mark indicia, blue hash mark indicia, and green hashmark indicia, corresponding to respective ones of said question markcard members, red cash loss card members, blue flight card members andgreen contract card members.

5. A game board apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein:

at said game board member has information indicia thereon indicative ofvalues of respective ones of said zone areas,

1. A game board apparatus adapted to be used by a plurality of playermembers, comprising: a. a game board member having a plurality of lineindicia interconnecting numerous point locations, such setting forth aplurality of paths to follow, and circle indicia dividing said gameboard member into a plurality of zone areas having different numeralsapplied thereto, b. information card means having instruction indicia onone side thereof pertaining to dealing and title indicia on the otherside thereof, said title indicia relating to such dealing. c. simulatedmoney means having stacks of various money members with different valueindicia thereon, d. profit card means having a plurality of stacks ofprofit card members having numerals applied thereto indicating a sum ofmoney, each numeral being identical with a numeral applied to one ofsaid zone areas, e. player token members, one for each player member,and f. a die member having numeral indicia indicating distance to movesaid player token members on said line indicia between said pointlocations.
 2. A game board apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein:a. said line indicia having a plurality of transversely extended indiciameans thereon indicating individual positions of movement therealong, b.said game board member having said point locations of city indicia on anoutline indicia of the United States, and c. said city indicia including''''Kansas City'''' being the starting point of said game boardapparatus and central pivot point of said circle indicia.
 3. A gameboard apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein: a. said indicia meansincluding question mark indicia, blue hash mark indicia, and red hashmark indicia, corresponding to respective ones of said information cardmeans.
 4. A game board apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein: a.said information card means being a plurality of stacks of card membersincluding question mark card members, green contract card members, blueflight card members, and red cash loss card members, and b. said lineindicia having transversely extended, spaced, question mark indicia, redhAsh mark indicia, blue hash mark indicia, and green hash mark indicia,corresponding to respective ones of said question mark card members, redcash loss card members, blue flight card members and green contract cardmembers.
 5. A game board apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein: a.said game board member has information indicia thereon indicative ofvalues of respective ones of said zone areas.